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Phee stared out of a window into the dreary grey sky. It was raining again. It always rained in Cerulean.
She turned and looked back into her room. Posters, familiar flowery bedspread, a giant purple teddy bear. It was her room, but it certainly didn't feel like a home. Not without a family. And not without Pokemon.
Ever since she was young, she had felt it. The true calling of a trainer, the feeling that one could only attain... well, *completeness* as a human being if one had a Pokemon sharing their lives. A partner, a warrior, a friend.
"Geez, Dad," she muttered, kicking her feet against the wall. "If you're gonna be place stupid rules on me, you could at least be around to enforce 'em."
She realised what she had said, and a little gleam came into her eyes. Nobody was home. Nobody would be home for a few days. They trusted her, but... she was a Ketchum, not a bird in a cage.
Footsteps
by Leto
Can't let people stop me, she thought, hearing nothing but her feet pounding down the pavement. Can't listen to them now... but wow, it's all nicer than I imagined!
She stood for a moment, feeling the cool afternoon air, the light drizzle, seeing the clouds and trees clearly for once. It was the first time she had left the house in several years.
"Thought you could hide it from me," muttered Phee, "thanks Dad. So long as I know Pokemon exist, you can never hide it from me."
She knew where she wanted to go, but not how to get there. So she simply walked, a little wearied by this new activity, but not willing to give up before any adventure had even begun.
Finally seeing it, she smiled. She knew Pokemon were here. She could sense it. And Cerulean Gym had some memories for her, young as she was.
"Hello, can I help you," said a polite lady behind the front desk.
Phee blushed a little. "Um, well, uh..."
"Do you wish to challenge the gym leader?"
Phee shook her head wordlessly.
"Do you wish to take a class on Pokemon training?"
Phee shook her head again and tried to find the words she was looking for.
"I... um. Can-I-see-a-Pokemon and do you know-a-Misty?"
The lady wrinkled an eyebrow at Phee's odd speech, but smiled.
"Misty? The former leader of this gym? Of course I know her, I'm her eldest sister, Daisy. How do you know Misty?"
"She's, she's..."
"Yes?"
"Well, she's my mother, but... I guess-she-isn't-really... I mean, it's... well, my dad said..." Phee felt rather uncomfortable, as her father had always told her never to consider Misty a part of their family.
Daisy's eyes widened, but her face was impassive, as though her emotions knew not which path to take.
"Phoenix," she gaped, "the child nobody ever saw!"
"P-please don't tell my father," whispered Phee unhappily, "I don't think he'd be too-happy."
"I'll bet," said Daisy drily, "too bad Misty isn't here any more. She left last year saying the further she could get from Ash, the better."
"My... my dad's not so bad."
"Why did he keep you hidden away?"
"W-well, he thinks-I-shouldn't see Pokemon."
"What on earth for? He was an avid trainer himself, if you didn't know."
"My dad? He said Pokemon are horrible and a-a training journey could lead to nothing good. Especially with water types, with water types I think he said."
"Yet you came anyway. I bet you'll be a great trainer once you get started, just like your parents were!"
"T-trainer? I'm not sure... I mean, my dad, and Pokemon, and a journey, and I've sorta-not-been... well..."
Daisy calmly ignored these protests, taking her small niece by one hand and leading her towards the gym. "Any person can legally train after age 10. Parents can't stop them. If you want to do it, you have to. You won't be complete without it."
Phee wondered if this meant her father was not complete now. Or maybe not complete without Misty.
She continued to follow Daisy, and her jaw dropped. She knew instinctively that the many creatures she saw were Pokemon, all swimming. All water-types, her father's biggest hatred. But seeing them, she forgot this and everything else - including a complete inability to swim - running straight to the pool and jumping in.
Daisy laughed. "You are a strange one. But maybe you have a touch of your mother after all. How would you like to stay here and learn a bit more about Pokemon?"
Phee did not answer, she was splashing water at a Tentacool while hanging onto a Dewgong for dear life. A Poliwhirl sprayed bubbles in her face, and she shrieked happily before playfully tackling it.
"I'll take that as a yes."
She spent another hour in there, gradually developing a doggy-paddle and playing with the Poliwhirl, who seemed intent on making her chase it. After she had nearly caught it, it leapt out onto the land, and ran nearly as fast as it had swum. She scrambled out, only to find Poliwhirl leaping over her head back in.
After initial excitement of finally encountering Pokemon had faded, Phee became worried about her father's return.
"I - I don't want to leave my father alone, but, but I can't... I can't..."
Daisy knew what she was trying to say, and pressed a Pokeball into her hands.
"Take this," she said, "it's strong and may look fierce, but it is gentle, and will listen to you."
Phee pressed the button on the Pokeball, revealing a Wartortle. She smiled slightly and patted it on the head.
"O...okay. If you think this is the Pokemon I should have."
She recalled her Pokemon.
"Um. Thank you auntie. I will go now, I... I guess."
Before Daisy could reply, Phee ran into the aquariums to say goodbye to the other Pokemon. The Poliwhirl from before jumped out and followed her.
"Poliwhirl, I'm thinking you should be going back where you live."
"Poli," it grunted, spitting bubbles at her. She swatted them away.
"Daisy won't be happy with you if you follow me like that."
"Whirl," it said calmly, continuing to follow her like a shadow. She reached the door from the gym to the outside world, and peered solemnly at the Pokemon by her feet.
"Poliwhirl, I really do have to go. I... I hope I see you soon, right?"
Poliwhirl nodded, and with some effort, scaled her leg and sat itself on one shoulder.
"Oof, you're heavy and wet," said Phee, "and you're not my Pokemon!"
"It is now."
Phee turned to see Lily, Daisy's sister.
"Keep it, it could use some extra training."
Phee smiled, she had felt that Poliwhirl was to be her special partner. And knowing only that, she headed out confidently into the world she knew nothing about.